But I Don’t Wanna ….

How many of us have said those words?  Think about it for a minute.  Maybe you haven’t said them out loud.  Maybe they just roll around in your head as tasks arise, as people seek your time or as God directs you about something.  It is like our bargaining tool.  Maybe if I act like a toddler (even if just in my head) I will have temper tantrum success and we just won’t have ta’. 

The truth is, you don’t have ta’.  You can ignore the tasks, the people and even God’s direction.  You have the power of choice within you.  However, if you skip out on the things that you don’t want to do, what will you miss out on because you did? 

Think about Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord …. We all know that scripture.  It is the scripture we quote when we have a bad day, when we don’t understand what is going on, when we just don’t wanna’.  We also quote it to try to manipulate our circumstances.  When things are tough (maybe because we missed the mark and did something …. A little …. Stupid,  or when we think we know the will of God but not his timing.  You know – those things :))  Let’s examine that a little more.  This scripture was written to a group that had been taken captive, removed from their home, and taken far away.  Do you think they wanna’ed??  I’m guessing not!  King Neb rounded up 10,000 (yep, that’s a lot of people) citizens when he invaded Judah.  He sent them 500 miles from their home.  Who among us can say we have felt like one of those captives?  Everything was fine then ** BAM ** (said in my best crazy voice with inflection so as to grab the attention of the reader) something happens that shakes us to the core of our being and we become captive to a circumstance. 

It wasn’t until they were already captive and in exile that the prophet Jeremiah sent them a word from the Lord.  They were receiving instruction on what to do in season they just didn’t want to be in.  How many of us have been in a season we just don’t want to be in?  Maybe you feel like one of the exiles.  I wish we could embrace Jeremiah 29:11 for the truth of what it says – God does offer us a hope and a future but sometimes we have to endure the rough seasons.  This scripture is a promise that God would later fulfill but not immediately.  They had to set up shop so to speak and endure the season and make the best of it.  They had to build in the place of brokenness.

Jeremiah told them to take a wife, build homes, plant gardens – these are all adjustments and major life decisions he was instructing them to do.  See, sometimes we enter a season where we feel like we are captive to a bad circumstance or a series of bad deals.  However, God still knows exactly where we are and what we are doing.  Make the best of the bad times.  Adjust, adapt and remember that our personal fulfillment isn’t guaranteed.  They were exiled for 70 years – imagine the people that never made it back home.  That is why, I believe, they were told to set up residence.  They were instructed to make a life instead of their own instead of the circumstances making life for them.  If we allow our circumstances to dictate to us how we feel, we will live defeated and deflated today and possibly excited and ecstatic tomorrow and constantly on a roller coaster of emotions.  We need to adjust and adapt to the ebbs and flows of life.  We need to rely on our deep roots of faith to carry us in the times of exile and captivity so that when we are in those days, we can still build a life and enjoy the good days. 

I’m not saying that life is just a doom and gloom kind of thing.  Those of you that know me know I am a carrier of joy.  I love to make people laugh and smile.  That deep joy comes from walking out some great times and some difficult times.  There is joy in the journey and God truly does work things out for our good.  It just isn’t always like we think it should be.  And that’s OK.  Some days I just don’t wanna but I do because I know that the bad days are only seasons and that I can choose to make the best and see the glory in all things. 

So, instead of having I Just Don’t Wanna kind of days, let’s agree to plant gardens, build houses and make the best of each day given.  Let’s recognize that even in our days of exile, God still wants us to have family, relationships and provision.  So, don’t keep your eyes on the circumstantial captivity but the One that holds our heart captive, Jesus.